Wire-stretcher.



I specification.

UN STATES `PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F.' BALI', 0F ESTEP, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNQR OF ONE-HALF TO VAN BUREN GREENE, OF GREENVIEW, WEST VIRGINIA.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters' Patent.

Application led April 17, 1999. Serial No. 490,450.

To all whom 'it may concern: l

Beit known that I, JOHN F. BALL, a citi-v `Virginia, have: invented a new and useful WireStretcher, of which the following is a The invention relates to improvements in The object vof the present invention is'to improve the construction of wire stretchers, and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive one of great strength and durability, adapted to enable one person with safety and ease to stretch either Woven or barbedA wire.

Vith these and other objectsl in View, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the vscope of the claims, may bev resorted to Without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing :-Figure l is a side elevation of a wire stretcher, constructed inaccordance With this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of 'the same. Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view. Fig. 4 is a detail- View of one of the adjustable post-engaging bars. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the intermediate hook. Fig. 6 is a detail view, illustrating the construction of the outer hook.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing.

1 designates a substantially rectangular frame, arranged in an upright position and co'nposed of parallel front and rear upright bars 2 and. 3 and horizontal top and bottom connecting bars 4 and 5, the lower connecting bar being preferably enlarged to provide a base. The frame is provided with suitable bearings for a vertical windlass shaft 6, provided with upper and lower drum portions 7 around which are wound flexible, connections 8, consisting of ropes or -cables attached at one end to the windlass shaft land extending horizontally therefrom through openings 9 of the front upright bar 2 of the frame. The upper portion of the Windla'ss shaft carries a horizontal gear 10, 'which meshes With a vertical gear wheel 11, provided with a crank handle 12 to enable it'to be readily rotated by hand. The vertical gear Wheel 11 is mounted on a horizontalshaft 13, journaled in suitable bearings 14 secured to the top of the frame 1.

Patented N OV. 9, 1909.

rl he lower portion of the vertical Windlass l shaft carrles a horizont-al ratchet Wheel 15, arranged at the upper face 'of the bottom bar or base of the frame and engaged by a spring actuated pawl 16, pivoted at an intermediate point by a pin 17 or other suitable fastening device, which also extends through a brace (i8. '.[lhe brace is secured to the upper face of the' base of the frame and has a projecting portion extending over the pawl. The inner end of the pawl is maintained in engagement with the ratchet wheel by a spring 19, consisting of wo sides'or arms and an intermediate coil 20, through which asses a in '21, or oth'er suitable fastening evice. of the sides or portions of the spring engages the franie, and the Vother bears against the awl, as 'clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing. The outer arm of the pawl forms a handle and-is located at one of the side edges of the bottom or base of the frame. The paWl and the ratchet Wheel are adapted to lockthe Windlass shaft against backward movement for holding the wires While the latter are being fastened to a fence post.

The flexible ro es or cables of the Wind lass are connecte with a vertical stretcher bar 22, equipped With a plurality of hooks 23 and 24', consisting of straight shanks and ,diverging bills or engaging portions, which are curved and adapted to engage the Wires of a fence. The billsy or engaging portions form a claw for grip ing the wire, and any lnumber may be emp oyed for enabling the Wires of a fence to be uniformly stretched. The shank of the intermediate hook 23 is Stviveled to a ring or loop 25, which is slidably arranged on the vertical stretcher bar 22, and while. only one intermediate hook is loop is adapted to he anchored-by a stairs also enable the saine to he i vertical "wind illustrated in the accompanying drawing, it will be readily apparent that more may be employed and that they may be ustedA` upward and downward onthe. stretcher bai. rllie shanks of the outer hooi-:s 2l are provided with eyes 2o, which are connected to swivels consisting ot" a stein 27 and an .eye or ring 28. T he stein pierces the stretcher har and is provided at the front or outer end with an eye 29, which is linked 'into the eye Q6, and the inner or rear 'end ol the stein is swiveled to thc ringr or eye 28. 'llfie stein pierces the ring or eye 528 and is headed within the saine. ril`his Iforms a swivel con-f nection .between `the outer "hooks and thel stretcher bar, and enables the hooks to be 4turned in any direction to facilitatetheir eilgageinent ivitlithe wires to be stretched.

i The hand wheel is rotated tovimd the 'cables or ropes oiithe iviiidlass shaft to stretch the 'tence wires or woven wire fencing, and in order te prevent the wire stretcher from sllpp'inff, it is equipped at the front with upper and lower adj ustahle postengag ing bars 3G, provided at intervals with per'- i iterations and secured to the top and bottoniL bars ol the traine by screws, or other suitable fasteningr devices.' The outer portions 3l of the bars 30 are bent right angles to torno tlat post-engaging faces, and the outerfterininals ol the bars are bent longitudinally taperedorsharpened to provide cntwardlvv4 projecting spurs or points 32, adapted to be embedded. in. a postv The justahle bars also enable the wire stretcher to 'oe oli :et from an intermediate cr corner' post roi' drawingl the fence vires or Wire fencing' past the saine, so that the wires may be stapicd or otherwise secured to tliepost, while they are held' at ,the desired tension 'by the 'wire stretcher. vThe wire stretcher is also equipped with stake-receiving loop of substantially sernicircular forni, provided with terminal eyes '34s and secured to the rear end of the bottoni bar or base of the trarne by l l'l'alSi/@rse holt 35, or other suitable it eiiinig device which passes through the e) 34 and ln s the oop to the traine or" the ivi elstretcl The.

36, driven into vthe ground and arranged within the loop, as clearly illustrated in Fig. i ot the, drawing. The hingingofthe loop 'will readily swung up ward out of engagement with the stake, when. it is desired to movie the Wire stretcher. Havingthiis fully des libed nity invention, what l claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Pate t, isi-2#4 i "L1A Wire stel comprising a frame, a rui-ft 'mounted in. y the ,ole connections secured to bep wound around the, vertical bar arranged in fraine'z,y spacerT to and arran,. Windlass shai'ti a spaced rela tion Withthe Windlass' shaft and carried by the flexible connections, and a plurality of wire-en, ;agingV devices connected with the vertical bar and arranged atdiff trarne, gearing for rotating theffslisift7 spaced'l flexible connections secured to and arranged to be wound around the shaft, a vertical bai" arrangedgin spaced relation with the verti-y cal shaft, andfa plurality ofy Wire-Lligziigg'iigv devices provided with swivels connectedwiththe vertical bar 'and also attached. to the iiexible connections of the vertical shaft.

3. A Wire stretcher. comprising a frame, a vertical shaft having spaced flexible connections, a vertical liar arranged' in spaced relation with the shaft, wire-engagingfdevices 'located at different elevations and having.

eyes', and swivels consisting of stems' ,piercing* the vertical barand provided atftlieiry outer ends with eyeslinked into the eye/s of the wire-engaging devices, andri'ngs-swiveled to the inner ends of the stems and`co u.

nected with the flexible connections.'

A wire stretcher including a frame, a vertical 'shaft having` spaced flexible connections a vertical barfarrano'ed in s aced re! lationwitli the shaft, outer ivire-engaging devices, swivels connected with 'the Wire-en zeagriiig devices and with. the flexible Iconnections and having stems piercing the vertical bar, and an intermediate wire-engagging'de-l vice provided With a siviveled loop slidably .arranged on the' vertical bar' between the said swivels; y y,

A wire stretcher including a' frame, a 'vertical shaft having spaced flexible connections, upper and lower postseniraging bars projecting -from thefranie'and having tei-, minal points `to prevent the Wire stretcher from slipping', said hhars also spacing vthe traine .from a post to eiiable'the `vvir'es` to he stretched past the latter, a'i'crtcal 'bar alirangcd in spaced -rcl'ation with ,thes'haftV and benigni a length less-,than the distance' between the upper and lower posteng'agiiig ,bars and carried by the flexible connections, and wire-engaging` devices connected with the vertical bar andfairan'ged at'ditlerent points along" the saine.

ti. i wire stretcher includinga,frame, a vertical shaft having spaced llexible connections, ripper Iand lower post-engaging'bars extending' horizontally from the traine'and adjustably connected with the sameA andliaving; angnlarly bent outer portions presenting :dat taces Atov a post and'provided withpro iectingi" pointed terminalsadapted'to hefeinbedded in a. post, said'bars al'sospacirig the frame troni a postte enable thelwires to be stretched past the latter, a vertical bar arranged in spaced relation. with the shaft and andfwireengaging devices connected Withbeing' of a length less thanthe .ditance bes my own,` I have heretonxed my signatWeen the upper andflower postengaglng ture 1n the presence of two Witnesses. bars and carried by the exljle connections, JOHN F B ALL' 5 .the Vertical bar and arranged at dieren AWitnesses:A points along the same. v d I HENRY H; PRICE, v Inv testimony, that I elaim Vthe regoin'g i WM. COPLEY. 

